This blog on Texas education contains posts on accountability, testing, college readiness, dropouts, bilingual education, immigration, school finance, race, class, and gender issues with additional focus at the national level.

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Sunday, October 16, 2016

Statement Regarding the NAACP’s Resolution on a Moratorium on Charter Schools

Glad to see this. Long overdue. Now National LULAC needs to do the same—that is, draft and support a moratorium on the expansion of charter schools—particularly since Latin@s are not only massively targeted by charter school operators, but also because the siphoning off of taxpayer dollars into this sector are threatening the very viability of our public schools to function adequately which is where most school-age Latin@ children may still be found anyway. Let us all strengthen our public schools, not by ending, but by mending, them.

Both LULAC and the NAACP could support the funding of partnerships (not charter schools) that connect universities, K12, and our community-based institutions to work together in order to BOTH strengthen schools AND communities. This is what our national NLERAP effort consists of that is captured in our book, Growing Critically Conscious Teachers.

AngelaValenzuela

c/s

Breaking News: Charter Resolution Ratified by @NAACP National Board

Statement Regarding the NAACP’s Resolution on a Moratorium on Charter Schools

CINCINNATI – Members of the National Association for the Advancement
of Colored People (NAACP) Board of Directors ratified a resolution Saturday adopted
by delegates at its 2016 107th National Convention calling for a
moratorium on charter school expansion and for the strengthening of
oversight in governance and practice.“The NAACP has been in the forefront of the struggle for and a
staunch advocate of free, high-quality, fully and equitably-funded
public education for all children,” said Roslyn M. Brock, Chairman of
the National NAACP Board of Directors. “We are dedicated to eliminating
the severe racial inequities that continue to plague the education
system.”The National Board’s decision to ratify this resolution reaffirms
prior resolutions regarding charter schools and the importance of public
education, and is one of 47 resolutions adopted today by the Board of
Directors. The National Board’s decision to ratify supports its 2014
Resolution, ‘School Privatization Threat to Public Education’, in which
the NAACP opposes privatization of public schools and public subsidizing
or funding of for-profit or charter schools. Additionally, in 1998 the
Association adopted a resolution which unequivocally opposed the
establishment and granting of charter schools which are not subject to
the same accountability and standardization of
qualifications/certification of teachers as public schools and divert
already-limited funds from public schools.We are calling for a moratorium on the expansion of the charter schools at least until such time as:

(1) Charter schools are subject to the same transparency and accountability standards as public schools
(2) Public funds are not diverted to charter schools at the expense of the public school system
(3) Charter schools cease expelling students that public schools have a duty to educate and
(4) Cease to perpetuate de facto segregation of the highest performing
children from those whose aspirations may be high but whose talents are
not yet as obvious.

Historically the NAACP has been in strong support of public education
and has denounced movements toward privatization that divert public
funds to support non-public school choices. “We are moving forward to
require that charter schools receive the same level of oversight, civil
rights protections and provide the same level of transparency, and we
require the same of traditional public schools,” Chairman Brock said.
“Our decision today is driven by a long held principle and policy of the
NAACP that high quality, free, public education should be afforded to
all children.”
While we have reservations about charter schools, we recognize that many
children attend traditional public schools that are inadequately and
inequitably equipped to prepare them for the innovative and competitive
environment they will face as adults. Underfunded and under-supported,
these traditional public schools have much work to do to transform
curriculum, prepare teachers, and give students the resources they need
to have thriving careers in a technologically advanced society that is
changing every year. There is no time to wait. Our children immediately
deserve the best education we can provide.“Our ultimate goal is that all children receive a quality public
education that prepares them to be a contributing and productive
citizen,” said Adora Obi Nweze, Chair of the National NAACP Education
Committee, President of the Florida State Conference of the NAACP and a
former educator whose committee guides educational policy for the
Association.“The NAACP’s resolution is not inspired by ideological opposition to
charter schools but by our historical support of public schools – as
well as today’s data and the present experience of NAACP branches in
nearly every school district in the nation,” said Cornell William
Brooks, President and CEO of the NAACP. “Our NAACP members, who as
citizen advocates, not professional lobbyists, are those who attend
school board meetings, engage with state legislatures and support both
parents and teachers.”“The vote taken by the NAACP is a declaratory statement by this
Association that the proliferation of charter schools should be halted
as we address the concerns raised in our resolution,” said Chairman
Brock.

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Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and
largest nonpartisan civil rights organization. Its members throughout
the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil
rights in their communities. You can read more about the NAACP’s work
and our six “Game Changer” issue areas here.